Date: 08.02.

2022

Subject: ELT Methodology

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Aims

An aim is a long term target/goal which focuses on the overall purpose of a course. It is a general
statement that reflects what the students will do or achieve over the entire period of the course.

Aims are what teachers and learners want to achieve in a course.

An aim of a lesson plan is generally thought to encompass the lesson as a whole.

According to James Atherton,

Aims are broader statements of what learning you hope to generate.

Objectives

Objectives are much more specific and they clarify the aims in more detail. They are smaller steps that
will help you to achieve your main aim.

They specify the new skill that the students will gain as a result of the lesson. They focuses on the student’s
behaviour.

It is a short term goal which focuses the purpose of a single lesson or group of related lessons or a unit. It
is a specific statement consisting of one or two sub skills/ a part of a sub skill which reflect what students
will do or achieve in each period and perhaps also in the week.

Example:

Punctuation

Mechanics Paragraphs

Developing
Writing
Skills
Aim:

• To develop writing skills

Objectives:

• To follow correct mechanics of writing

• To use correct punctuation marks appropriately
• To organize paragraphs properly

Learning Objectives

A learning objective is a description of the behaviour expected by a learner after instruction.

Hence, we call them as behavioual Objectives.

Educational Aims are normally considered to be broad/general statements of educational intent.

They indicate the total or overall purpose or desired goal of a course.

On the other hand they are more detailed, more precise statements relating to different aspects
of the fulfillment of the specific objectives. They are often expressed in terms of what the students should
be able to do at the end of the lesson.

Activity:

1. List down the similarities and differences between the two terms: Aims and Objectives.
2. Write an aim. Set learning objectives in order to achieve that aim.